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Get over it and move on you pack of whingeing sore losers. You choose to "support" a soft game, then expect those sort of soft decisions...

Posted by: Yaaawwwnnnn at July 6, 2006 10:47 AM

There's nothing "soft" about soccer but i do agree it's time to let it go. If that penalty was given to us we would have happily taken it too and I think the fault lies with the ref not the italian team. Despite it all the azurri played better and are now deservedly in the final. I grew up with soccer and am thrilled to bits the socceroos got that far but as an italian-australian i'm happy to have been beaten by italy and now look forward to the biggest win, the CUP!! Forza Italia!!

Posted by: Loren at July 6, 2006 11:16 AM

It doesn't look good to the rest of the world to come across as a pack of whingers. This is not (or should not be) what Australians are all about.

Get over it. We played 11 vs 10 for most of the second half and Italy's defence was too good.

Australia has benefitted from Italian immigration and now we should be supporting them in the final. As for the socceroos, just give them credit for getting as far as they did.

Posted by: david at July 6, 2006 11:30 AM

That decision was no worse than the red card given to that Italian player earlier on.

Cant score against a team one man short? Dont deserve to win.

Posted by: Dan at July 6, 2006 11:38 AM

It is true, that the penalty was given wrongly, but i agree with past posts, we couldn't score with them one man down (also a sketchy decision) so the ref decided to end it there and then, yes we should have been given a couple of minutes to try for that goal, seeings as we couldn't make it all game, it would have been a nice way to end it, fighting, bad ref, but what can you do?
People expect too much from a country which isn't very soccer orientated, we did an excellent job, people should be proud of our boys rather than complaining about italian actors and bad refs!

Posted by: Rob at July 6, 2006 11:55 AM

Forget about being one man short, if Italy can't beat the 42nd ranked team in the world without having to trip over their gucci loafers, there's no way they deserve to be in the final, and deep down their fans know it.

Posted by: Tinto at July 6, 2006 12:13 PM

Tinto - you speak so much rubbish - if the situation was reversed an Australian player and for that matter any player would have done the same thing as Grosso.

Italy do deserve to be in the Final and will win. To quote Corriere dello Sport "'We knocked them out in their own backyard, with 60,000 fans shouting for them, with Ballack provoking us, in a stadium where Germany had never lost before.'

All this "what if" scenarios talked about by Lucas Neil and Tim Cahill are also rubbish.

First there is no certainty that Australia would have beat Italy in extra time - think, if Italy could create a chance like that at the 90th minute why couldn't they also create another in extra period.

Australia couldn't score with a man advantage for over 40 mins.

And even if it did indeed go to penalties, why are you so confident Italy couldn't also win.

Furthermore, this talk that had AUstralia progressed, beating Ukraine was a given is rubbish - real life doesn't operate on what - ifs.

Moreover, I do not think Australia would have been able to beat Germany - but now I am dabbling in a what-if.

And one other thing, when you bad mouth Italians you are also bad mouthing the 3 best players in the socceroos - Bresciano, Grella and Aloisi and a great number of Italian Australians,many of whom although proud to be born in AUstralia do not forget their roots and culture. I bet they wouldn't be too impressed with your derogatory comments toward Italians - remember their blood is Italian!

Posted by: Antonio at July 6, 2006 1:32 PM

Don't take yourselves too seriously. It's funny -isn't it?

Posted by: JGH at July 6, 2006 1:43 PM

ha ha that's a pretty funny sticker and quite apt, as for all these people talkign that Italy were the better team so what? what a load they had a few good chances in the first half but after that nothing

in the end they'll have to live with the fact they cheated to win, simple as that

Posted by: yo! at July 6, 2006 2:26 PM

the "australian" team isnt really Australian at all is it? its just made up of random people from everywhere esle around the world australias just done its usual trick of taking people and making them our own. i cant really see the point of going off about it its a crap game so get over it ok?

I must admit that I've found the reaction from Australia generally to be disappointing.
Particularly the sports media whom if they knew anything about the game they would be aware that Italy created more ,and better opportunities . As for the sending off, not much about that was there.
Australia were great and got the most out of themselves but some perspective would show that Italy still probably deserved to win and clearly have a greater skill level.
Also, I love AFL and am a club member but to those who want to dengirate soccer I say get back on your sheep and go home

Posted by: Laurie at July 6, 2006 3:11 PM

I don;t think we could ever really make it to the top the way FIFA want the game played - Aussies just don't have it in them to blatantly milk the ref - its too embarassing and shameful. We mostly all grow up with AFL and Rugby, its not second nature to mince around - no one at home would applaud you if you did, like they do over there.

Not sour grapes - really, I think its just the way it is. England's the same - they just want to get on with the game as well.

Heres a thought - everytime a player goes down and theres no offence - that player has to sit out on the sideline for 5 mins (for his own 'safety') - then we'll see how many silly stoppages and false penalties there are. Its ruining (if not already ruined) the game.

Posted by: crackers at July 6, 2006 3:28 PM

It's a funny sign. Remember that good old Aussie sense of humour!

Posted by: Jacko at July 6, 2006 3:42 PM

to respond to Big Fat Hen's posting: the players are all australian, only with international heritage. they play with international clubs as the australian league is only in it's infancy. they are all australian citizens and play under the australian flag in the australian colours for australia, i think that qualifies them to be australian.

Posted by: kane at July 6, 2006 6:02 PM

Come on, it's not like Australia had any chance of winning against Italy. That's like the Canadians beating us at Cricket. Stop being so Aussie and blowing everything out of proportion.

Posted by: Seggy at July 6, 2006 7:35 PM

Actually, it's not that funny...it's borderline rascist...

Posted by: MIA at July 6, 2006 7:39 PM

diving in soccer is an accepted practice, here's how to fix it; a video refereee. Everytime an incident occurs that could result in a penalty goal opportunity, a slow motion replay on a big screen for everyone to see would play. "Diving" would be stopped in its tracks due to the fear of being caught out and yellow carded.

Posted by: mich at July 7, 2006 5:24 AM

Mia for gods sake lighten up it's just a little big of fun, it's PC thugs like you who are ruining the world

Posted by: lighten up at July 7, 2006 12:27 PM

Mia, If you are going to label someone a racist at least learn how to spell the word. Besides, it's not racist, it's making fun of the cheating Italian Football team.